Pedal operated switch



Dec. 24, 1963 L. G. CASS ETAL 3,115,559

PEDAL OPERATED SWITCH Filed July 20, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TORS 4 0217.: Q 646d. 747 02 2' JaXaZef V iz/M Dec. 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1960 W/ 5 y 4 a X .H J a 7 a 4 a 4 I (Z q mm W mfmfl m m 1% 7 4% i r w W M w Q Patented Dec. 24-, 1933 3,115,559 PEDAL @PERATED ESWTTCH Louis G. (lass, Detroit, and Ralph E. Schaher, Warren, Mich, assignors to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich a corporation of Delaware Filed duly 2%, rant, er. No. 44,039 2 Claims. (Ci. Mill-61.3%

The present invention relates to vehicle lighting systems and has particular reference to a new and improved switching arrangement for use with the vehicle brake to operate the stop lights of the vehicle.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved switching arrangement which is characterized by its simplicity and ease of operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel switching device which is easily installed and maintained.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved switch which has relatively movable contacts shielded and insulated by the switch mounting means.

More particularly the present invention relates to an improved switching arrangement provided in cooperation with the vehicle manually operable pedal brake wherein said switching arrangement is insulated from ground, is adjustable, and is provided with shielding means for the contacts for protection against sparking andarcing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the relationship of the switch, its mounting, and the brake lever;

FTGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FEGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FTGURE 2;

PTGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FlGURE 1;

PXGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 or l- TGURE l; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, only showing the switch in its relaxed position where the contacts are engaged.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1, there is shown a mounting bracket 16 which has the brake lever 12 pivotally mounted thereon by the pin 14. The lever 12 is provided with a conventional foot pad 16 and is pivotally secured by the bolt 18 to a rod Zll, the latter actuating appropriate braking mechanism (not shown).

A second bracket 22 is mounted to the bracket by bolt and nut combinations 24- adjacent the lever 12. The bracket 22 is of a generally L-shaped cross sectional configuration and is provided with a front face 25 in which is provided a circular opening 26. Extending through the opening 26 is a switch mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 28.

The switch mechanism 28 comprises a mounting grommet 3tl formed by yieldable rubber-like material having an annular recess 32 which receives a portion of the face 25 around the opening 26 in the bracket 22. The grommet 39 is provided with a conical camming surface 34 which may be depressed when the grommet 30 is pushed through the opening 26 in the face 25 and thereafter snaps into position maintaining the grommet 30 fixed to the face 25. The grommet 30 is provided with a centrally disposed cylindrical opening 36 which receives a cylindrical collar 38. The collar 38 extends from one end of the grommet 3t) and terminates substantially halfway back. It will be seen from the drawings and particularly FIGURES 2 and 6 that the sleeve 38 has its forward end peened over to prevent movement rightwardly and it has its other end peened over a shoulder 40 in the grommet, the latter connecting the cylindrical opening 36 of the grommet to a larger cylindrical opening 42 in the grommet. The cylindrical opening 42 is formed by an integral extension 4-3 of the grommet. The cylindrical opening 42 communicates from the opening 36 to the righthand end of the grommet as shown in the drawings. By the construction of the collar 38 having its ends bent over it is fixed to the grommet. The end of the collar 38 adjacent the brake lever is provided with a flat terminal member 44 having an opening 46 therein which receives the collar 53 and is in engagement with the peened over end of the collar 3%.

Frictionally disposed within the collar 38 is a tubular member S ll. One end of the tubular member 5% is provided with a shoulder 52 which is flared outwardly and terminates in a partially spherical contact surface 54 having an opening 56 centrally located therein. Although the tubular member 59 frictionally engages the inner surface of the collar 38 the shoulder 52 prevents any leftward movement as shown in the drawings. Extending through the opening 56 in the contact surface 54 is a rod having one end press fit in a plastic tip 62 and its other end extending out of the tubular member 50 and serrated at 6-2 The serrated end 64 is press fit in an insulating hub 66, the latter being press fit within one end of a tubular contact member 68. Disposed within the tubular member 53 is a coil spring 7t) which is disposed between the inwardly extending end of the tip 62 and the inner side of the contact surface 54. A spring 7t? is under compression and is adapted to urge the rod 6t) into the position shown in FIGURE 6 wherein the inner annular edge of the contact 68 is in engagement with the contact surface 54- of the tubular member 50. It will be seen that the extension 43 of the grommet 30 which has the cylindrical opening 42 therein extends rearwardly of the switch from the contact surface 54 and encloses a large portion of the contact member 68 so that when actual contact is made between the annular edge of the contact 68 and the contact surface 54, any arcing or sparking which may occur will be enclosed within the grommet.

It should also be noted that the tubular member '50, although it is tightly frictionally engaged within the collar 33, may be moved relative to the collar to provide a certain amount of adjustment during the installation of the switch mechanism in case the tolerances between the bracket 22 and the lever 24) vary. It should also be noted that when the tubular member 50 is moved relative to the collar 38 that the entire contact making and braking portion of the switch is moved therewith.

To install the improved switch 28 the entire assembly is merely inserted through the opening 26 in the face 25 of the bracket 22. until the annular edge of the opening 26 snaps into the annular recess 32 of the grommet. Thereafter the relationship of the collar 33 and the tubular member 50 is adjusted so that when the brake lever 12 is in its relaxed non-braking position as shown in FIG- URE l the tip 62 is engaged by the lever 12 thereby pushing the rod rightwardly to separate the contact 63 and the contact surface 54 as shown in FIGURE 2. When the brake lever 12 is applied by pivoting it leftwardly as viewed in the drawings, the pressure applied by the lever on the tip 62 is removed thereby allowing the coil spring 7d to urge the rod 6th leftwardly as viewed in the drawings thereby engaging the contact 65 and the contact surface 54 to close the switch. Electrically speaking, the contact 6d at its one end receives a wire while the terminal 4d receives a wire indicated by the dash and dotted line 82. It will be seen that the terminal 44 is connected physically through the collar 38 to the tubular member 56} consequently to the contact surface 54. As a result, when the switch is shown in its position in FIGURE 6, the wires 82 and 8d are electrically connected.

It should be pointed out that the switch mechanism is electrically insulated from the vehicle body or ground for a good reason. The switch mechanism and the vehicle power supply are both located (by conventional practice) at the front of the vehicle, while the red light con-trolled by the switch mechanism is located at the rear of the vehicle. By utilizing the novel insulated and shielded switching means, it is necessary to run only one wire from the front of the vehicle to the rear. By this construction the switch mechanism is in the hot side of the circuit and one side of the light is grounded.

While we have shown and described only one embodiment of our invention, such is for the purpose of illustration only and may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. In combination with a pivotally mounted braking lever having an abutment surface, a switch mounting plate having an annular opening therein, a switch mechanism carried by said plate and comprising a yieldable rubberlike grommet having an annular outer recess receiving the annular edge of said opening and securing said mechanism to said plate, said grommet having a generally centrally located first cylindrical opening and a second cylindrical opening of a larger diameter communicating with said first opening and extending therefrom to one end of said grommet, said grommet having shoulders at opposite ends of said first opening, a metal sleeve disposed within said first cylindrical opening in said grommet and having opposite end portions overlying said shoulders for fixing said sleeve within said grommet, a terminal member having an annular portion disposed around said sleeve between one end thereof and one of said shoulders adjacent said last mentioned end, said terminal member having an extension extending outwardly from said grommet and adapted to form a first terminal for said switch mechanism, a tubular member having a portion extending into and friotionally engaging the inner surface of said sleeve, said tubular member terminating at one end in a spherical contact having a centrally located opening therein, a plunger disposed within said tubular member having one end extending through the opening in said contact, said last mentioned end of said plunger carrying a cylindrical contact member having an annular contact surface engageable with said spherical contact, means disposed between said cylindrical contact member and said plunger for providing electrical insulation, said cylindrical contact member being disposed within the second cylindrical opening of said grommet and providing a second terminal for said switch means, tip means secured to the opposite end of said plunger from said one end and extending out of said tubular member, and a coil spring interposed between the inner surface of said spherical contact and said tip means for urging said plunger outwardly of said switch and said annular contact surface into engagement with said spherical contact.

2. A switch adapted to be mounted on and electrically insulated from a supporting structure comprising: an insulating grommet adapted to be fixed to said supporting structure, said grommet having a cylindrical bore extending inwardly from the front cface thereof and an integral sleeve-like extension at the rear thereof communicating with said here; a tubular member extending through said bore and frictionally engaged therein for adjustable longitudinal positioning, said tubular member carrying at its rear end a first electrical contact positioned within said sleeve-like extension which position is dependent upon the longitudinally adjusted position of said tubular member within said bore, said tubular member terminating at its front end beyond the front face of said grommet; a plunger slidable within said tubular member with the front end thereof extending beyond the front end of said tubular member and the rear end thereof extending beyond the rear end of said tubular member; a second electrical contact carried on said rear end of said plunger and insulated from said tubular member; means biasing said plunger toward the front end of said tubular member whereby said second electrical contact normally engages said first electrical contact within said sleeve-like extension, said sleeve-like extension being of sufficient length to enclose the engaged first and second electrical contacts; means for making electrical connection to said first electrical contact; and means for making electrical connection to said second electrical contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

2. A SWITCH ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON AND ELECTRICALLY INSULATED FROM A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE COMPRISING: AN INSULATING GROMMET ADAPTED TO BE FIXED TO SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, SAID GROMMET HAVING A CYLINDRICAL BORE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FRONT FACE THEREOF AND AN INTEGRAL SLEEVE-LIKE EXTENSION AT THE REAR THEREOF COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE; A TUBULAR MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORE AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED THEREIN FOR ADJUSTABLE LONGITUDINAL POSITIONING, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER CARRYING AT ITS REAR END A FIRST ELECTRICAL CONTACT POSITIONED WITHIN SAID SLEEVE-LIKE EXTENSION WHICH POSITION IS DEPENDENT UPON THE LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTED POSITION OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER WITHIN SAID BORE, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER TERMINATING AT ITS FRONT END BEYOND THE FRONT FACE OF SAID GROMMET; A PLUNGER SLIDABLE WITHIN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER WITH THE FRONT END THEREOF EXTENDING BEYOND THE FRONT END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND THE REAR END THEREOF EXTENDING BEYOND THE REAR END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER; A SECOND ELECTRICAL CONTACT CARRIED ON SAID REAR END OF SAID PLUNGER AND INSULATED FROM SAID TUBULAR MEMBER; MEANS BIASING SAID PLUNGER TOWARD THE FRONT END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER WHEREBY SAID SECOND ELECTRICAL CONTACT NORMALLY ENGAGES SAID FIRST ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITHIN SAID SLEEVE-LIKE EXTENSION, SAID SLEEVE-LIKE EXTENSION BEING OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO ENCLOSE THE ENGAGED FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRICAL CONTACTS; MEANS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO SAID FIRST ELECTRICAL CONTACT; AND MEANS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO SAID SECOND ELECTRICAL CONTACT. 